By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog The odds are less than 100 to 1 that a high school baseball player will go pro. That didn’t deter Todd Dulaney. “For years, my parents and I, we traveled from city to city, playing travel league baseball,” Dulaney told TBGB. “That’s all I wanted to do. When I got drafted at 18, I was locked and loaded! That was my passion!” Today, Dulaney is a Stellar-nominated gospel singer. But in 2001, the Maywood, Illinois native beat the odds and was drafted by the New York Mets. He moved to St. Lucie, ...

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Myron Butler is an award-winning singer, songwriter, worship leader and producer.  He spent time with TBGB recently to talk about his latest CD, Worship, released last month on EMI Gospel. Born in Bradenton, Florida, the Baptist-bred Butler’s first taste of gospel music came, naturally, in church. “Before I ever had a song recorded,” he said, “I played for Sunday School.” He also directed the church’s youth Sunshine Band. From the start, Butler was inspired by the music of the late Thomas Whitfield. “Thomas Whitfield was where it began,” he said. “From his harmonic structure to the ...

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Syreeta Thompson is in a class by herself. Literally. The Chicago-born artist is the only female gospel singer who plays trumpet. Even the trumpets she carries are distinctive: one is white, the other red. Syreeta picked up the trumpet at age twelve, she told TBGB during a visit to Chicago last weekend. There was one caveat. “In order for me to play trumpet, my mother said I had to play it in church. So I sat in the corner with the other musicians at the True Church House of Prayer of All Nations. ...

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Yolanda Adams is one of gospel music’s most effective multitaskers.  She’s a singer, songwriter, author, mother, syndicated radio host and recording artist. Now — and it makes sense — one of the best dressed gospel singers has become a clothes designer. The four-time GRAMMY-winning artist spent time with TBGB to discuss her new CD, Becoming, and Yolanda Adams Collection. TBGB: When you were singing with the Southeast Inspirational Choir, did you harbor a hope that someday you would be where you are today, or was it a “never in my wildest dreams” kind of thing? YA: This is definitely ...

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Scan the liner notes of a gospel CD and chances are you will see the name of Jonathan DuBose, Jr. listed among the musicians. Not surprising: DuBose has been an in-demand guitarist in the sacred and secular music arenas for many years. DuBose recently spoke with TBGB about his beginnings, where his career has taken him thus far, and his passion for “C.A.U.S.” Beginnings in Bridgeport Born December 12, 1960, DuBose first picked up steel string guitars at age four when his mother and father, quartetter Jonathan DuBose Sr. of the Sensational ...

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Multi award-winning Andrae’ Crouch is moving into his sixth decade in gospel music, but he’s not slowing down. The singer-songwriter who, along with the Hawkins Family and the Rance Allen Group, helped birth the contemporary gospel movement in the 1960s, is promoting a new single, a new album, and a choir competition. The Journey, available May 15, will be Crouch’s first CD since 2006’s Mighty Wind. The album’s first single, “The Promise,” will be available as a digital download on Tuesday, February 15 exclusively at Walmart.com, iTunes, and Amazon.com, and all other online retail ...

Christian hip hop artist Lecrae Moore of Houston, Texas is one of the first – if not THE first – Christian rap artists to reach the number one position on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart with two consecutive projects. TBGB had a chance to catch up with Lecrae last week. We talked about his influences, his latest releases, and whether Christian rap and hip hop is making inroads in churches. TBGB: How did you get started in Christian rap? L: I got started when I was volunteering at a juvenile detention center and doing music for them on a regular ...

by Bob Marovich, The Black Gospel Blog Growing up in Refreshing Spring Church of God in Christ just outside Washington, DC, gospel singer Kevin LeVar was surrounded by top gospel music talent. HOB recording artists the Refreshingettes hailed from Refreshing Spring. The church’s Minister of Music was none other than Evangelist Myrna Summers. Her 1970“God Gave Me a Song” with the Interdenominational Youth Choir of Maryland and DC earned the songstress a Grammy nomination. LeVar’s mother and father sang with Summers, and Kevin called her “godmother.” Despite this, the self-proclaimed “mischievous kid” was not known for singing. Not, that is, ...

JJ Hairston of the group Youthful Praise spent time with The Black Gospel Blog recently to talk about the group’s genesis, its musical influences, and the forthcoming CD, Resting On His Promise (Light Records/Evidence Gospel), to be released September 1. TBGB: You grew up in the Church of God in Christ. How has this influenced your music ministry? JJ: It’s influenced us tremendously. At its base, the Church of God in Christ is a traditional movement. We have our youthful vigor as a choir, but at the end of the day we are a church choir. We present songs for ...